Relations remain tumultuous between Washington and Beijing. The Chinese military maneuvers, described as “aggressive” by Washington, risk ultimately causing injuries, the White House warned on Monday, after a maritime incident over the weekend.
The US Navy on Saturday accused a Chinese ship of “dangerously” zigzagging around a US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, less than 10 days after an air incident between the two countries in the region.
“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a news conference. He castigated maneuvers that were both “dangerous” and “unprofessional”, according to him.
The Pentagon had already denounced on Sunday the “increasingly risky” actions of the Chinese army in Asia. On May 26, a Chinese fighter pilot performed “an unwarranted aggressive maneuver” near a US reconnaissance aircraft flying over the South China Sea, US military officials said.